Premier League: Best overseas XI of all-time

The influx of foreigners is one of the main reasons why the Premier League is the most exciting league in the world.

Remember it was a foreigner who scored the all important goal to seal the title for Manchester City in 2012.

Overseas stars have played a vital role in enriching the Premier League.

Here is an XI, with an addition of a manger and substitute bench that make up the best foreign stars to ply their trade in the Premier League.

Manager: Arsene Wenger (France)

The Frenchmen is now the longest serving manager in the Premier League, following Sir Alex's departure, and is the most successful foreign manager in PL history with three titles to his name. He also made Arsenal 'invincible' in the 2003/04 season as they remained unbeaten throughout the entire campaign.

GK: Peter Schmeichel (Denmark)

The Great Dane is arguably the greatest foreign 'keeper to step afoot in the Premier League. He lead United to numerous title and was a natural leader at the back. Even though he made a few blunders in his time he compensated for that by making world class saves on a weekly basis making him one of the best goalkeepers of his generation.

RB: Dan Petrescu (Romania)

Petrescu was a reliable defender for numerous Premier League clubs, most prominent being Chelsea and Southampton. He had a good stint at Chelsea but eventually fell out of favour at the club and he rediscovered his form when he was at Southampton. There haven't been many great right backs in PL history but Petrescu is the best one yet.

CB: Marcel Desailly (France)

Arguably Chelsea's best ever foreign defender, Desailly was a formidable player in the league and it was hard to get past him. He won the FA Cup with Chelsea beating Aston Villa but left the club a season before they went on to win two PL titles in a row. Desailly's defending was more tactical and he read the game very well.

CB: Nemanja Vidic (Serbia)

The Serb became the best defender in the world while plying his trade in the Premier League and also won Premier League Player of the Year in 2011, an award rarely won by defenders. His no-nonsense defending helps him avoid sticky situations in defence and he is a ruthless header of the ball.

LB: Patrice Evra (France)

He may not be at his best anymore but Evra was surely one of the best left-backs in the world at his prime. Evra is good at defending and going forward making him an ideal full back and his footballing abilities have grown since he's been in the Premier League. A good crosser of the ball, Evra can link up really well with wingers.

CDM: Patrick Vieira (France)

One of Arsenal's greatest players and captains, Vieira led from the front when on the pitch. A tidy passer of the ball, Vieira could also break up play very well making him potent in attack and defence. He was the link between Arsenal's attack and defence. Vieira won many trophies when at Arsenal and left the club after securing the FA Cup in 2005.

RW: Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)

The speedy winger arrived in the Premier League with a reputation of overdoing step-overs and excessive dribbling. He left the Premier League a changed player, a goalscorer, a dribbler and a set-piece specialist. Ronaldo's game transformed while in the Premier League and scored an incredible 42 goals in the 07/08 season with Manchester United. One of the greatest wingers to inherit the Premier League, it was a joy to watch Ronaldo dribble past defenders.

LW: Gianfranco Zola (Italy)

The Italian mesmerised Chelsea and its fans, becoming one of the best players in their history. He scored some memorable goals for the Blues and his style of play was pleasing to the eye. Zola's hat-trick against Derby County was one of the best individual performances in the Premier League.

CAM: Dennis Bergkamp (Netherlands)

One of the most skilful players to grace the Premier League, Bergkamp scored some outstanding goals while at Arsenal, the most memorable being his strike against Newcastle. He scored many goals while at Arsenal and formed a potent partnership with Henry, playing behind him and supplying him with many assists over the years.

CF: Thierry Henry (France)

The greatest foreign goalscorer in Premier League history, Henry scored goals for fun while at Arsenal. Henry scored an incredible 174 goals in the league and assisted 77 times making him the most complete forward in the Premier League. Henry scored many high quality goals for the Gunners and also helped them to three league titles.

ST: Eric Cantona (France)

The man who made Manchester United a dominant force in England again, Cantona along with Sir Alex laid down the foundations for United's success in the league as the pair went on to win four Premier Leagues together. Cantona was vital in each one of the those title wins and has since gained legendary status at Old Trafford and in the Premier League. He took the Premier League by storm when he arrived and never looked back since.

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DISCLAIMER

This article has been written by a member of the GiveMeSport Writing Academy and does not represent the views of
GiveMeSport.com or SportsNewMedia. The views and opinions expressed are solely that of the author credited at the top of this article.
GiveMeSport.com and SportsNewMedia do not take any responsibility for the content of its contributors.

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